Brought to Life By Love
by Bellaward1105
Summary: Bella Swan, an artist, has her own 'man of her dreams' just like the rest of us. The problem is, she can't find him here on Earth. Deciding that probably carving him would be a good idea, how will she react when that statue comes to life? AU BXE
1. Prologue

_**Disclaimer: Do I really have to? (Looks at lawyer with puppy dog eyes; lawyer nods; I sigh sadly) I - I do not own the Twilight saga and its characters, unfortunately. It all belongs to the outstanding Stephenie Meyer.**_

**Brought to Life By Love **

**Prologue**

Bella's point of view

"Thank you," I told the cashier registrar as she handed me my change. I almost forgot about food supply at home. Well, if I was being honest to myself, it was because I seemed to forget everything whenever I was with Edward. With all the information I learned, I now knew that he was the one I was looking for. The man of my dreams really came.

I put my groceries inside my Ferrari and raced my way home in the dark streets, humming along the song on the radio. I was anxious to be with Edward again, even if he couldn't hear and feel me. Every time the sun set, my heart would cracked as I watched him resumed in his original form; a statue.

I was still surprised at how my life curved toward the world of the supernatural. If someone told me that a statue came to life, I would laugh and say it was only a dream. I would even paint something like a human, half alive and half frozen. All because it was supernatural and supernatural was supposed to be unreal.

But it wasn't.

Because that was my situation at this moment. My Edward lived a half-life. A human, alive, breathing and talking at day but a statue, lifeless, immobile and still at night. We would spend the day together, doing things couples do. And at night, I would look lovingly at his still form, sitting in front of the piano I also carved myself.

When I was nearing my home on the northern part of Forks, I saw smoke arising in its direction. I was curious. Why would there be smoke in there? The answer came to me as sirens from fire trucks entered through the car doors and through my sensitive ears.

Without minding about the speed limit, I hit the accelerator until it reached 80. My heart was pounding loudly; it almost drowned the music coming from the radio. I made the invisible turn and the white mansion wasn't hard to locate tonight because it was engulfed by flames.

I saw the fire trucks encircling the house and firemen trying to tame the raging flames to no avail. I didn't think about where I stopped my car. The sooner I came, the better.

I bounded out of the car and ran as fast as I could to the house. Of course, people saw me and they stopped me before I could enter.

"Stop, miss," they said, gripping my arms to restrain me while I thrashed desperately. "Is there someone left inside? Is this your house?" They will never understand if I tell them that my love, made of wood and everything, was trapped inside. I started to cry as I shook my head at the first question. "I own it. Let me go."

He was probably screaming for help in his mind, but nobody can hear him. I tried to run as they let me go, mumbling something I didn't even bother knowing.

"Miss, you cannot enter the building. It's too dangerous." They yanked my arms until I was a few feet away from the house. I stared at it with horror; in my mind I was screaming my love's name. The only one who will ever have my heart was burning into ashes…

I couldn't help it, I screamed in pain, emotional pain. And the firemen guarding me, so I would not escape again, gave me a confused look.

I couldn't see anything. I couldn't feel anything. Even as they finished extinguishing my house, all I could do was lie on the earthen floor.

There was no more reason for anything.

Oh, Edward. My love. My life.

_Gone._

**A/N: I know it's short but it was just the prologue. I know I have been working on **_**A Cullen or A Swan? **_**but my fingers are aching to type and post this one.**

**Tell me if you got interested in Artist Bella and Statue Edward… :)**


	2. Inspired

_**Disclaimer: Do I really have to? (Looks at lawyer with puppy dog eyes; lawyer nods; I sigh sadly) I - I do not own the Twilight saga and its characters, unfortunately. It all belongs to the outstanding Stephenie Meyer.**_

**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for the super long wait. I was really busy with real life, but don't worry, I will never abandon this. :)**

**Thanks to my amazing betas from PTB: ****Crazychocochica and ****ym-tg. They are truly gifts from above.**

Chapter 1: Inspired

"I'm telling you, Bella, people are expecting another artwork from you. Art directors are calling me non-stop, asking when you're finally going to show one," Rosalie repeated in for, like, the umpteenth time. I pursed my lips as I cradled the phone between my left ear and my shoulder, and erased the wrong stroke of lead on my drawing pad.

My mentor, manager, and friend, Rosalie McCarthy, wouldn't leave me alone for even one hour each day. She always kept on bugging me about hurrying on my next art piece and wouldn't be satisfied unless I told her I was working on it.

"Rosalie, I am working on it," the lie started to sound more convincing having it repeated all these times.

"Mhmm," she hummed. "I can see that. You _are _sketching right now, aren't you?"

My pencil dropped from my hand. My eyes went wide, and my mouth went agape. "Are you Alice? How did you know that?"

She snickered. "I don't have to be Alice to know what you're doing. I, of all people, should be able to tell when you're distracted." Her voice was smug.

I mumbled something unintelligible. Even on her vacation with her family, Rosalie McCarthy haunted my life. Don't get me wrong, she was one of my best friends, but when she said business, she meant business.

I was starting to get dizzy by her observations. If I didn't stop talking to her, I would have a major headache soon. "I have to go now, Rose." I sighed. "Say hi to Emmett and baby Therese for me."

"Fine, Swan," she said. "I'll never bother you again, that is, if you produce something within five days. Get it? Okay, bye." She hung up before I could even protest.

I stared at my Blackberry for a whole minute, contemplating whether I should throw it away or change my number. After shaking off my ridiculous thoughts, I stood up from my bed, yawning. I fixed my bed and grabbed my bag of toiletries, and a set of fresh clothes before entering the bathroom.

I let the water cascade down my back as I stared at the blue tiles that covered the bathroom floor. Every single day, I had been looking at those tiles. From my position, I could see with my sensitive eyes the molds that had made their way between the cracks. I made a mental note to clean the bathroom sooner or later.

I stepped out of the shower, and quickly fitted myself in my shirt and jeans after drying off. I looked at the floor-length mirror that stood on the eastern side of the room. I saw my reflection, of course, and nothing else. I picked up my hairbrush, and tried to smooth out the tangled brown locks that had been taking its residence on my head for the past twenty years, to no avail.

After hanging my towel on the rack, I exited the misty four-walled room; I crossed the hallway and walked to my room.

Once inside, my eyes fell on the drawing pad that was lying neatly on my bed. A smile appeared on my face. The dark cloud that I'd felt had been hovering above my head suddenly disappeared, and I didn't bother knowing where it went.

I lifted the drawing pad from the bed. From afar, I could hear the lovely song that only birds could sing. I was surprised. My ears were used to everything from the world outside, so how come I only heard the sound of the chirping birds, the sound of the gushing waterfall now when they were just a few feet away from the house?

The answer was given as I looked down at my drawing.

Through my memories, I had finally brought him out of my dreams, out of my thoughts and fantasies. His disheveled hair was exactly as I had remembered. The sharp cheekbones that pronounced his face complimented him perfectly. His eyes, though I only used pencil, was sparkling, and I knew that if this drawing was colored, his vibrant green eyes would outshine any other part of his glorious face. A soft smile was engraved on his beautiful face. An elated sigh escaped my lips.

He wasn't exactly a product of my imagination. He had happened to walked into my dreams one night when I had been a junior. In that dream, he had looked at me lovingly, and whispering words of endearment into my ear. Even now, I could feel my heart thumping unevenly. He was marvelous, and I was quickly attracted to him even though he was only a dream. The only important thing I got from the dreams – other than an erratic heartbeat every time I thought about him – was his name.

Even the mention of his name sent shivers of delight throughout my body: Edward.

Damn it. Why did he have this effect on me? I wasn't usually controlled by men so easily. I wasn't used to guys, but nobody appealed to me like the way Edward already had.

I had tried to forget that dream, but it was a futile attempt. I had been having that dream all year round, and it never stopped. The images were all etched perfectly in my mind and that was why I could sketch Edward, but the feeling every time I dreamt... it just got stronger and stronger.

I was a jumbled mess just because of a man who mysteriously appeared in my dreams. Great.

I scribbled his name at the bottom right side. Another sigh emerged from my lips.

When my Blackberry popped into my line of vision, I remembered the conversation I had with Rosalie earlier. Almost faster than light, an idea sprung into my imaginative mind.

What if, I sculpt a life-sized Edward – the only person who invaded my mind these days? In that way, I could try to figure out what the feeling brought out of my mind. And also, I could finally get Rosalie off of my back.

But, a small part of me refused to show Edward to the world, like he was something important and private, only allowed to be seen by me.

I reached for my phone and dialed a number I had memorized for a long time.

"Good morning, this is Ms. Cope's Elms and Oaks. What can we do for you?" I recognized the voice as Seth Clearwater's, the manager of the place. Ms. Cope's Elms and Oaks was the only store in Forks that sold good lumber – a convenience for an artist like me. He and I weren't exactly that close at first, but when I became a regular customer, he started to warm up to me. He was such a nice boy, and _way_ too young for me.

"Morning, Seth," I greeted, standing up and drawing my curtains to the side, allowing the rare sunny rays to touch my room.

"Hey, Bella," he cheered. "Finally calling for a delivery or just wanting to say hi to me?"

I laughed. This boy was so funny. "Both," I teased. I heard him laugh at the other end. "Okay, seriously, I need another set of wood. Mmm... larger than what I usually request," I told him.

"Hmm... larger, you say?" he asked. I could almost hear him writing my order. "That's a bit hard, though. Oaks like that and all takes time."

I frowned slightly. "Can't you do anything about it?" Again, I was surprised by my attitude. I wasn't usually complaining about things like this, but here I was, exasperated that the tree wouldn't be here soon. Was I that desperate to carve Edward?

"Okay, I'll try, Bella. Expect the goods tomorrow or the next day. Is that good?" Seth asked, breaking me out of my reverie.

"Oh, yeah. Thanks, Seth," I replied wholeheartedly.

"No problem, Bells. See ya," he said.

"Alright, bye," I hung up after that.

I placed my phone on the nightstand and walked over to the window. The light was freely entering through the glass that was situated between the walls. I gazed out at the vast forest that surrounded my home. The way this house was built in the middle of the forest, made me feel like some mysterious artist with some dark secret, or something like that. I was all alone, which was definitely a part of their assumptions.

I left my place in front of the window and trudged my way to the third floor, my art studio. At times like these that I felt like I had no one. That was why, I wanted to make an artwork soon. Aside from Rosalie's constant pestering, I also wanted it for my heart's peace and contentment.

My mother, Renee, died, right after giving birth to me. My dad, Charlie, was very devastated and he told me he made a promise to himself to never make me feel unloved, though I had lost a mother. He had no plans of marrying anyone, because I knew in his eyes that my mother was still the most beautiful, the only one he'd ever love.

I sometimes envied my deceased mother. I wanted someone to love me like Dad had loved Mom. Someone who would cherish me for the rest of my life...

I shook those frivolous thoughts out of my head. If I was honest to myself, I had been thinking about that since my dream with Edward.

Charlie worked as an architect before he decided to try the town life. He became the chief of police in this tiny town of Forks in my junior year. He bought this priceless house from a Nessie Cullen, who was planning to move in with her other grandmother in Jacksonville, Florida. She said that this house was a gift to her by her grandparents, a Carlisle and an Esme Cullen. While they were moving out the Cullens' furniture, I caught a glimpse of what I suspected to have been Dr. Cullen and his wife. They were both beautiful and I, once again, envied the way Dr. Cullen's arm encircled his wife's waist in a possessive way.

Again, mentally kicking myself as my mind kept being distracted. Taking a calming breath, I remembered with a grimace what had happened to Charlie a few months afterward. He and his colleagues were out in the woods, searching for some weird vampire cult. I got the news from one of his colleagues later that night. He had been killed after ambushing the uncontrolled teenagers. I had been crying so hard at that time I'd thought my eyes were going to be forever red.

I was _completely_ alone. No one was here to talk to, sans Rosalie on the phone. A thought occurred to me. Maybe the reason that I was so attached to Edward, my 'dream mate', was because I needed someone to lean on, someone to keep me company. But as soon as I thought of that, I felt my heart thump in a strange way, like it was objecting what my mind just assumed.

I frowned. This peculiar thing happening to me was starting to puzzle me more and more: change.

I stayed on the third floor of the house. I created this floor as my art studio, after I'd got accepted as Rosalie's art student. There was no furniture up here, only my art materials and some chunks of wood. The other first half was used as my work area while the other was kind of my art gallery. There, all my finished works stood proudly and firmly, and just staring at them made me smile, even just a little bit.

I let my hand drift to my creations as I slowly walked. Sitting on a stool, I cupped my face as I stared lazily at my surroundings.

The monotony of my life was starting to get to me. Will this life cycle of mine get any worse or what?

I didn't answer my own question. Instead, I let fate take me and make me do what it wanted.


	3. Creating Him

_**Disclaimer: Do I really have to? (Looks at lawyer with puppy dog eyes; lawyer nods; I sigh sadly) I - I do not own the Twilight saga and its characters, unfortunately. It all belongs to the outstanding Stephenie Meyer.**_

**A/N: So sorry for not updating for quite a while. I was too caught up with my real life, and sadly, the next chapter wouldn't be posted until three weeks from now. **** But I might change my mind if you all tell me in your reviews what you think of this story... Thank you so much!**

**Thanks to my betas (they're so wonderful!): EvilPumpkin and BrownieCrumbs. There are no words for these two.  
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Chapter 2: Creating him

I woke up bright and early the next morning. I knew I should feel refreshed, but if I was being truthful, that wasn't the case. Being a morning person was something I was starting to hate. Whenever I woke up at this hour, the morning just seemed to stretch on for so long.

I performed the usual rituals: fixing my bed, taking a shower, brushing my teeth, and some other things. I was only half-aware of my surroundings as I maneuvered my way around the kitchen, my stomach churning after a night without meals.

A few minutes later, I was done cooking. I set the stack of golden pancakes on my plate. Not forgetting to top it with my favorite syrup, I devoured my morning meal.

My eyes automatically landed on the wall clock opposite the place where I was seating. It read eight o'clock. I heaved a deep sigh. Time was starting to slow, in my opinion. I lifted my now empty plate and placed it on the sink. I hummed "Once upon A December"from one of Disney's animated movies, _Anastasia_, as, I washed the dishes. I used to love it as a child, but after Charlie's death, the sound kind of reminded me how alone I was. That was why I was suddenly surprised to find myself singing it.

"Dancing bears, painted wings," I sang softly. "Things I almost remember, and a song someone sings, once upon a December."

For the first time, I felt like Anastasia. It was like something was trying to enter my mind, like it was trying to make me remember...

I shook off that feeling. It was just a song, for goodness sake.

I meandered through the living room and decided to watch something, just to pass the time. I popped _A Walk to Remember_ – something I already watched ten times – inside the DVD player.

I was about to sit and make myself comfortable when three rapid knocks came from the front door. I inwardly groaned and pressed the pause button. I walked towards the door and turned the doorknob.

Alice appeared in front of me, her face was excited and hyper – as it usually was. Her spiky black hair was still that untidy and her tiny frame was still clad in extravagant designer clothes. The only difference to the usual scene of Alice visiting was the fact that she was holding a passport in her small hand.

"Bella!" she squealed. "Oh, our flight changed. We're leaving in about an hour. Did you hear that? One. Hour. Jasper didn't give me any time to shop. You need your wardrobe updated before I leave. Oh, Bella, I'll miss you." She said everything in a fast pace that I didn't understand everything.

"Alice," I said slowly since my best friend was panting after her rant. "Relax, okay? Come inside and start all over again."

She nodded and followed me inside. I instructed for her to sit on the plump cushions, and miraculously, she followed. I was surprised and amazed. Alice Brandon-Whitlock was definitely not an obedient person, but here she was following what I ordered.

"Bella," she started, finally calm. "I'll be leaving for Chicago in an _hour_, and I don't think that's enough time for me to say a proper goodbye to you." She frowned.

I couldn't help but laugh. Even though Alice was known for her perky and blunt attitude, she still had a soft spot for her friends. "Oh, Alice, you are worrying over nothing. The thing you're supposed to be doing right now is packing your designer clothes." Goodness knows how many she had.

"But, Bella, it might take months before we see each other again. You won't have someone to eat lunch with if you're totally bored, no one to post for you in your works," – she winked, and I laughed merrily, remembering the old times – "and you'll have no shopping partner." She seemed horrified at the idea. I just put an arm around her shoulders in a friendly manner.

"Alice, there's a reason why phones were invented. We can still talk to each other and I promise to update you on every boring thing I'm doing," I said solemnly. Alice frowned again.

"I think Jasper and I will be very busy full stop I might miss your calls," she thought out.

My eyes popped wide open. I pulled my arm away from her shoulders and stared at her in mock surprise. "Alice Brandon-Whitlock, that wasn't the type of excuse I expected to hear from you."

She seemed confused for a moment, before her eyes shone with understanding, and she giggled. "Not like that, you silly girl. I mean, I will be busy with the company and Jasper will have to finish his World War II article soon so he can send it to his boss, though that was a very nice suggestion." She was nodding her head seriously, as if she hadn't thought of what I actually said beforehand.

I ruffled her black hair and she squealed at the sudden action. "You pixie, I know you're such a good actress, so don't tell me that lame excuse again. Now, are you going to Chicago or not?" Not that I wanted her to leave, but she might really miss her flight if she stayed for so long.

"Just a moment, let's go arrange your wardrobe first," she declared. I groaned but followed her to my room.

Alice walked to my room as if she owned the place. She opened my door and deftly maneuvered to the cabinet on the eastern side of my room. Without further ado, she started her mission.

I spent ten minutes listening to Alice drone on and on about the proper handling of clothes. I would just nod my head at her "did you get it's", and she would suspiciously narrow her eyes at me.

Finally, she stood up, declaring that it was time for her to leave. Before she could, however, her eyes landed on the drawing pad that was lying innocently on my bed. Edward's drawing was turned upwards and I saw a flicker of recognition passed her face.

"Bella, is that the Edward you kept on telling me about since junior year?" she asked as she walked to my bed and picked up the thick pad.

"Um, yeah," I finally admitted.

"Oh Bella, when are you going to realize that he's just a figment of your imagination?"

"But he isn't," I argued, suddenly angry.

"Oh, and how do you know?" Alice raised her eyebrows at me, daring me.

"Because I can feel it, okay?" I explained, my tone rising. "I know it sounds stupid and weird, but, I don't know, I just can't allow myself to say he isn't." My voice was barely above a whisper as I said the last part.

I didn't know what Alice's expression, because of the fact that I was looking at the floor but I heard her drop my drawing pad. She walked towards me and her small feet entered my line of vision.

"It's all right, Bella. Let's not fight over this, okay? I wouldn't want to leave Forks if my best friend and I were not on good terms."

I smiled and finally looked up. "You really should leave, pixie." I pointed to the clock behind her.

She turned her head and gasped when it said she only had six minutes left until they leave Forks, and wait in the airport. "I really have to go now, Bells. Bye, and remember what I taught you or else!" I simply laughed at her threat.

I watched her leave in her yellow Porsche, her right hand waving out of the window. I waved back with a smile on my face. When her car was lost among the green dense trees, I closed the door, sighing.

I sauntered to the living room where the movie was still on pause. I pressed play and watched the movie in silence.

"_Are you afraid?"_

"_Of death?"_

At that part of the movie, another knock sounded. I groaned, this time not in my mind, as I pressed pause for the second time and rolled out of the sofa.

My eyes were half open as I twisted the doorknob and pulled it open. My eyes instantly widened when I realized who it was.

"Morning, Bella," Jacob greeted me. He was one of the workers at Ms. Cope's and the regulator of the delivery service. Quil, another worker, had told me in private that Jacob never went to deliveries but since he had happened to come with them one day to my house, he made excuses to with them every time I was on the delivery list. Jacob indeed showed interest, but I couldn't see him in any place other than as a friend.

"Hi, Jake," I greeted back. "Is it just me or did you grow up?"

He laughed loudly. "You always say that, Bells. Anyway, here's the receipt of your order and just sign over here." He pointed the spot where I should sign. I scribbled my signature quickly. "No wonder you're so artistic, Bella, you're left-handed." He sighed in amazement.

"Didn't you notice before?" I asked curiously.

"Nah, I was busy looking at your cute face to even notice anything." He chuckled.

I blushed scarlet and playfully smacked his arm. "Shut up, Black, before I could accuse you of flattery."

"Is that a crime?"

"In my opinion, yes."

"Okay." He shrugged and grinned at me, his teeth a contrast to his russet skin.

"Hey, Bella," someone called behind Jacob. I craned my neck and saw the other Quileute boys removing the strings around the huge bark of tree that was behind their delivery truck.

"Hey, guys," I said cheerily. I turned back to Jacob and said, "Can you carry that huge tree upstairs?" I pointed the humongous tree the rest of the boys were struggling with.

"Are you kidding, Bells? You know what we Quileutes are made up of." He grinned playfully, then jogged down the stairs and helped with the carrying.

"Yeah, steroids," I muttered to myself, chuckling. I walked to the kitchen to prepare them with something to drink. I heard them heaving the tree from the stairs and I shouted, "All right, there?"

No reply came and I chuckled, knowing that they couldn't be because of the weight of the tree. I carried the tray to the dining area and when I heard them descending, I called them in for their usual drinks.

After drinking and thanking me, they left, except for Jacob.

"What's up, Jake. Any problems?" I asked as I put the glasses on the tray.

"Well, I wanted to ask if you're free tonight?" he asked hopefully.

"Jake." I sighed. I had been telling him what I felt about him since he first asked me, but apparently, he wasn't easily discouraged. He was probably hoping that my mind would change – which I was sure definitely would not. "I told you months ago that I couldn't and besides, I have a new project," I reminded him, thanking Edward – I had to heave a deep sigh for my heart started beating frantically, just by the mention of his name – in my mind.

"Well, maybe another –" He was cut off by the buzz of his phone. He motioned for me to wait and I nodded my head.

"Yes, Dad, what is it?" He sighed deeply. I continued with my work, humming "Once Upon A December" once more. "What?" he asked after a moment. "Okay, I'll be right there soon." He shut off his phone.

"Um, sorry, Bells. I guess I'll also be busy soon. Dad's best friend, Harry, had a heart attack. I need to fly to Michigan." His eyebrows pulled together in an expression I couldn't comprehend.

"Oh," I said, quickly feeling sorry for his dad's friend. "Well, I hope he'll get better soon."

"So am I." He sighed again, this time in defeat. "Well, Bella, I have to leave now. Bye." He gave me a small smile before turning to the door.

"Bye, Jake," I called out.

I decided to have lunch. I watched the movie as I ate, not finishing it as I reminded myself of the dishes. After cleaning the dishes, I contemplated whether I should start with my work. I settled on creating _him_ then. I started using 'him' for his name since I could instantly turn to mellow at his name. I mean, I knew he wasn't real – even though my heart demanded the opposite – but I realized that I wasn't that obsessed yet with my 'dream mate.' I had seen a lot of people, girls especially, screaming actors' names and yelling how much they looked hot in a movie. Most movies were fictional, right?

I shut the DVD, making a mental note to finish that soon, and made my way upstairs. Not forgetting to grab my drawing pad from my room, I continued my journey to the third floor of this house.

The Quileute boys knew where to place the tree, what with the amount of times I ordered there. It was on the farthest side of my work area and they had already done me the favor of moving some of my things away and putting varnish and paint on one side. They were probably Jacob's orders. I just shook my head at his attempts.

I opened the curtains and the afternoon light streamed through the glass windows. Actually, the walls of this floor were all made of glass. I sighed in contentment as I gazed at the vast scenery.

I circled the big chunk of wood, in my mind, making the proportional carves and etches. I grabbed my chisel and mallet and, with one last glance at the drawing, I began my work.

The sun had already set and the forest was dark and mysterious. I would've been scared but I was too focused on my work to mind it. Then, the sky was starting to lighten, ranging from black to grey; it indicated how much time had passed.

I let my hand fall on the varnished plane and checked to see if it was dry; it was.

My eyes greedily ran over my creation. I felt my heart tugging as I stared at his chiseled face. It was perfect – almost too perfect, I corrected, because I believed as an artist that nothing in this world was. Though made of wood, my imagination was wild enough to see him playing the piano that I had also carved myself. I knew that making Edward was very difficult and adding the piano would just become more complicated but, I wouldn't be contented if I didn't throw the piano in.

All in all, I created Edward in a loose shirt and pants and he was playing the piano. His fingers were poised at the first movement of "Fur Elise" and his eyes were closed. His forehead was scrunched up in concentration. It was such a sight to behold.

My tired eyes focused on the clock above the door. It said five-fifty.

"Wow," I said hoarsely for it was the first word I had said in a few hours. I cleared my throat and stared at Edward's form once more. "You're worth it, after all." I smiled sleepily.

I yawned and curled up beside Edward. I closed my eyes and immediately drifted to sleep.

The last thing I was aware of was a pair of arms carrying me.

**A/N: As always, please consider leaving a review. Please. **


	4. Welcoming the Supernatural

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight and its characters. Ever. Stephenie Meyer owns it all. I'm just a mere fan. Story plot is mine, though.**_

**A/N: Hello, guys! I know, I'm alive and everything. I would like to explain why I've been gone for so long, but the list is too lengthy, and I know that you would understand me if you were in my place. So now that I'm on vacation (yeah!) and I luckily have less schoolwork than before, I should get back to my writing life. Here you go, a chapter longer than what I usually write. I hope you guys will not be disappointed. Stick with me, okay? :D I swear, I'll finish this story.**

**Many, many, many thanks to StoryPainter (for those awesome remarks) and Lulu M (who I know was very busy at the time she was editing this, but still, she did it. :D) This chapter's betas from PTB. They rock! :)**

Chapter 3: Welcoming the Supernatural

I was walking through a dark hallway. I didn't even know how I ended up there. A beautiful melody floated through the air from down the hall. My feet inched forward, wanting to find the source of the music. I walked and walked, but I seemed as if not moving at all. I was starting to get anxious. Why couldn't I reach the sound? My arm stretched forward, and I felt myself being sucked away like an apple being pulled down by gravity.

I opened my eyes and saw that my left hand was stuck out as if reaching for something. I lowered my hand back to my side. The dream I had seemed so real that I could still faintly hear the soft music. I groaned, my body aching from my work last night. I pulled my blanket higher and nuzzled against my pillow.

_Wait __a second. Why am I in a bed?_ My eyes snapped open, and I quickly sat up, ignoring my protesting body. My eyes scanned my surroundings, and without a doubt, I was sure that I was in my room.

"Impossible," I whispered, thunderstruck. If I remembered correctly, this was not the place where I slept last night. I was actually used to sleeping in my studio. It happened multiple times when art projects wouldn't let me rest until they were done. I was positive that after creating my work last night, my body was so tired that I had fallen asleep beside my work.

So, how come I was in my room?

The melodic sound rang through my ears again, interrupting my jumbled thoughts. It was the same tune as in my dream. I thought what I heard earlier was just the aftershock of my dream. I could hear it perfectly, and it was coming from the third floor.

With shaky hands, I reached for my drawer. I pulled out the gun from the bottom part, an idea Charlie's friends had suggested after he had died.

I stood up and slowly made my way up to the third floor. The music became louder with each step that I took towards my art studio. I briefly wondered where the music came. And then, familiarity surged through my body. It was like I knew this music piece. Apart from having it in my dream, there was something about this song that suddenly made me relax.

Shaking off my disturbing thoughts, I continued tiptoeing to the third floor. When I was standing at the in front of the door, I took a deep breath and turned the knob.

I aimed my gun forward, searching for the culprit. I looked to my left and saw no one. But when I looked in the other direction, what I saw almost made me drop the gun.

Playing the piano was none other than Edward, the man I just carved the previous night. He appeared to be a normal human male, innocently playing the piano. If it weren't for the fact that I knew I carved him, I would have believed he was a trespasser in my house and quickly called to the police.

He looked the same as he did in my dreams. The feeling of seeing him _alive_ and moving was like meeting your favorite fictitious character from a book. I was still stunned from seeing him, and he was so much more gorgeous in person than in my memories.

He sensed someone watching him, and he looked up. I gasped as I saw how bright and lovely his verdant eyes were. His face looked younger, and I fought the urge to stand beside him and touch it.

An irresistible uneven smile lit his face, and the gun I was holding almost slipped through my fingers again. He stopped playing and stood up, showing how tall he was. He walked towards me and didn't even break eye contact. I didn't know if I should be disappointed that he had stopped playing or be glad that he was coming towards me.

The logical part of my brain started to work and reminded me that this was an impossible occurrence. How had he come to life? Maybe he was a culprit who coincidentally had the same face as Edward's. But a quick scan of the room, which showed me that Edward's statue was nowhere to be found, proved to me that the man walking towards me then was the Edward I had recently sculpted.

Finally, he stood in front of me, and I could feel my heart thumping jaggedly in my chest. He still had that smile on his face as he proceeded to wrap his arms around my frozen body, pulling me tightly into his embrace. My eyes were as wide as saucers. His touch was surprisingly familiar as he ran one hand over my long wavy hair. He took a deep breath.

The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. "Who are you?" However, It would have been more accurate if I had asked, "How did you become like that?"

I felt his form stiffen. He slowly pulled away until he was gazing into my confused eyes. He totally disentangled himself from me, standing warily a few feet away from me.

"You don't," he started hesitantly, "you don't remember me?" He had a hurt look on his face. He looked at his feet as he waited for my reply.

Looking at his upset face, something roused inside me. I kept having these sudden unexplainable feelings, and I became even more puzzled every moment.

"I-I don't know," I answered his previous question softly. His jade green eyes lifted to meet mine, and they were dulled with pain. I took an unconscious step backwards when I saw them.

Which was, of course, a bad move.

The door was left ajar, and I was standing a step away from the stairs. What happened was I lost my balance and fell backwards. I saw Edward's shocked eyes and even heard him scream, "Isabella!"

My head collided with something, and I instantly lost consciousness at the impact. The final thing I saw was Edward's panicked face as he saw my dramatic fall.

I was back in the hallway again. Only this time it wasn't dark. It was bright in every corner. I put my hand over my eyes at the sheer brilliance.

"Bella," a faint voice rang out of nowhere. My eyes widened.

"Who is that?" I asked, mystified.

"It is not important for you to know who I am, Bella. I would just like to tell you something," the voice replied calmly. He sounded so fatherly and collected. "I have given you another chance, my child. I have seen your hardships and sacrifices and your acceptance to all of them. You never lost hope and faith, and for that, I am amazed. Now, let this gift that I gave you serve its right purpose. Find your happiness and yourself. Look back, and in that, you shall see everything and have everything ..." The voice was becoming softer and harder for me to hear.

"Wait! What do you mean, sir? I have no idea what you're talking about."

The answer I got was very faint. "Search for the answer inside, my child ..." I waited for further explanations, but I received nothing.

From somewhere out of the hallway came another worried voice.

"Isabella," the owner of the voice said, "please wake up."

I followed the voice, and I was surprised when I opened my eyes and found myself lying on my bed. Edward's apprehensive face was hovering above me, and I felt my heartbeat quicken when I saw him. I thought what happened in the studio earlier was a dream. It was real, but I was finding it hard to believe everything. I needed proof and an answer to all of these things.

Suddenly, the voice amongst the brightness I saw earlier sounded through my ears.

"_Search for the answer inside, my child ..."_

Search for the answer inside? Then, that familiar feeling ran through my body again. My eyes suddenly saw something. It wasn't anything I recognized. It wasn't found in my house either. The feeling of seeing this was like reminiscing on a memory while your eyes were closed, though mine were opened at the moment.

_I was surrounded by hundreds of humongous trees, all of them green and healthy-looking; I had a feeling I had been here before. I had a drawing pad in my arms, and it wasn't anything like what I owned. It was covered in leather, and half of the pages were still blank unlike mine where only a few pages were used. _

_I felt someone standing behind me, and, for some unknown reason, a smile lit up my face. Two hands touched my shoulders and made me turn. I inwardly gasped when I realized who the person was. It was Edward, giving me his infamous crooked smile, and I understood where I was. I was in the same meadow that I had been when I was dreaming. The only difference was, in my dreams, it was like I was watching myself and Edward share loving stares with each other, like I was watching a movie. But, I was not watching myself. I was actually the one staring at Edward. It brought a whole new, overwhelming feeling inside me._

"_Isabella," he sighed. I could hear the devotion in his voice as he said my name. "I thought I told you to stay indoors. I do not want to find you locking gazes with a snake again." He chuckled as he remembered something. "Come, let us go inside."_

_I didn't notice it before, but there, in the middle of this wonderful meadow, stood a small stone cottage. It was simple, but it took my breath away. Honeysuckles made their way up a wall, all the way around the wooden shingles. Lavenders grew in a small area under the windows. There was a path of flat stones that led up to the wooden door._

_He led the way to the door, and I silently followed, feeling safe that I was going to be with him in this small cottage..._

Suddenly, everything became blurry until it dissolved, and I found myself staring at Edward's panicked face. It felt weird suddenly having him in front of me, looking at me in anxiety, when I was exchanging loving glances with him in that vision earlier. "Are you all right?"

I didn't respond for quite some time. I thought about the dream I had when I fell and the vision I had just a few seconds. I didn't even know where the vision with Edward came from–I had no reason to say that it was a dream, since I didn't even close my eyes in the first place. But when I thought of what the voice said about searching for the answer inside so that I could find out what he was saying about seeing and having everything by looking back, this unsettling feeling buzzed in my blood again.

"_Tell him__...__"_ the man's voice from before echoed through my ears, and my eyes widened in shock. I presumed that he was referring to Edward. Tell him about what? About the truth that he was supposed to be a statue, and that I was having weird visions about me and him together?

"Isabella?" Edward asked again, more anxious now.

Finally deciding that I should tell him the truth, I answered quietly, "I'm fine, Edward."

His eyes remained worried, but I thought I saw a flicker of surprise and delight. "Do you remember who I am now?" he inquired hopefully.

I made an effort not to hurt his feelings. "Not really, but I have to tell you something." I stood up, but Edward's hands pushed me down.

"You should not stand up. I think you hit your head pretty hard," he informed me.

"But I want to talk to you about something," I protested.

"You can do that while lying down," he reasoned, but I was already sitting up. I glared at him when he tried to stop me. Good thing he gave up.

I sat on the side of my bed, and I motioned with my hand for Edward to sit beside me. I inhaled deeply and then exhaled, wondering how I was going to start this. I looked at him, and he was staring at the window. I cleared my throat, and his gaze shifted to mine, hypnotizing me with those emerald eyes. Now, I was the one who had to look away.

"Um, your name is Edward, right?" Great, Bella. That was surely the _best_ way to start your conversation with him, my mind said sardonically. "Um, of course your name is Edward. I'm sorry. Anyway, I have to admit something to you." I was still blushing from my absurd ramblings.

"Go on," he urged in a calm tone. I looked back to him and was shocked that he was still not thinking I was somehow mentally incompetent. A polite smile was on his face, and he was simply gazing at me.

I didn't dare look away. "Edward, I don't know how it happened, but I think you aren't supposed to be ..." I trailed off, trying to find the right word, "living right now." It felt queasy, having those words out of my mouth; it was probably because it wasn't something usually told to a person.

His face clouded with puzzlement, and his eyebrows pulled together. "What do you mean, Isabella?"

I sighed, thinking of ways to explain without me sounding like a lunatic. He apparently sensed my distress because, all of a sudden, his face smoothed.

"I don't want to stress you," he admitted. "Now, please explain everything to me, and don't worry about me; enlighten me in your own way."

I took a deep breath and started fidgeting with my shirt. "Do you believe in magic?" I asked.

His eyes looked entertained for a second before going back to being stoic. He nodded his head. "Will you believe me if I tell you that there's this ... artist, who gets inspired one day, and decides to carve a man. Then, the day after she carves him, she wakes up and finds that the statue she had created had suddenly come to life?" I bit my lip after that. It all seemed foolish, even to me. But I got a feeling that what I did was right.

Edward was silent for a long time. No expressions were on his face during the silence, and I grew more anxious at each second that ticked by. I was starting to regret what I did when he finally spoke.

"So, you mean that I am supposed to be a statue?" His tone wasn't teasing or disbelieving, just purely hurt. I didn't want him to be hurt.

"I-I know this sounds crazy. I am just a mere artist, and I was just carving you a few hours ago. When I woke up earlier, I heard you playing. I even thought you were a culprit. And then, I saw your face, and I was so shocked because you were supposed to be a statue, made of wood and everything, and not someone walking and talking.

"And then, I had a vision and a dream right after I fell. In the dream, there was a man's voice telling me that he was giving me a second chance, and that I should look back to know and have everything. I really have no idea what he was talking about," I confessed. "But there's this feeling that I get often times. Like when you hugged me. I felt a sense of familiarity in your touch. It was like we have met before." I decided that if I told him everything, then the situation might be clearer. He knew my name. He probably knew something I didn't. If I voiced everything I knew, he might help me get my thoughts back in place.

"So, you have no idea a–about the two of us?" The tone in his voice suggested that he didn't want an answer. He already knew that I had no idea, but the realization made him sadder.

"Sorry, but I don't," I apologized. "Maybe you could help me?" I suggested.

He looked straight into my eyes, and a dozen emotions danced across his mesmerizing eyes. His eyes finally shone with determination.

"I could, but I won't." He raised one hand when I was about to interrupt. "Let me speak. You might feel uncomfortable if I force you to remember things that you can't even recall yourself." I kept my mouth shut as I remembered the meadow memory I had earlier. "So, I trust that dream you had earlier. I know everything, but I would like you to know it by yourself. I am truly sorry, Isabella," he said sincerely.

I couldn't believe it. He wanted me to have those eerie visions when he could tell me everything. Actually, I got his point, but the thought of not knowing for a long time kind of bugged me.

He smiled slightly at my furrowed brows. "I am actually curious. What did your vision earlier show?"

Oh, crap. Why did he have such good memory? I didn't want to tell him about it for some unfathomable reason. "It was nothing important." I sighed, thinking of any way to take the topic out of his mind. "Um, Edward?"

"Yes." Again, his eyes sparkled when I mentioned his name.

"Will you play for me?" I knew it was something I thought of to make him forget the vision, but deep inside, I was craving for his hypnotic music again.

He gave me that same crooked smile I saw in my dreams. "Of course."

"Um, is it okay if you call me Bella? But it's also okay if you don't want to," I quickly assured him.

He laughed, and I realized that it was the first time I heard him laugh. "No, it's fine. I like the name Bella anyway." He smiled one-sidedly.

My face went as red as Santa's costume. He chuckled again and stood up. I followed his example. We went upstairs in silence, and I winced when I finally noticed white linen wrapped around my head.

"Sorry, that was what I found when you were unconscious," Edward apologized. His face was slightly red, and I smiled at the sight of a mortified Edward.

"That's all right." I opened the door that led to my studio. Edward was smart enough to stay behind me in case I slipped again. He was so overprotective.

I walked over to the piano. I stared at the ivory keys in wonder, unable to comprehend that they were carved by me. I touched one key and was awed at the note it produced.

"You are a great artist, Bella," Edward commented from behind me. I turned back to him, curious as to why he said I was good. "The keys are carved magnificently; it is better than what I had back then."

"Back then?"

"Back in 1918." I gaped as I heard that. Edward was too busy settling himself on the bench to notice my reaction.

"You're from 1918?" I almost screamed. He looked up and was shocked that he had said something he knew out loud.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Bella. I shouldn't have said that. That was so imprudent." He shook his head.

"How did you know you are not in 1918 anymore?" I inquired. At least I knew something already. It was probably my great-grandmother's time.

"I saw a calendar earlier," he explained. "To say I was shocked would be an understatement."

I remained silent, absorbing the newfound information I'd gotten. Edward didn't try talking to me. Instead, he let his hands drift toward the ivory keys. I stared at the setting sun as he played, settling on sitting on the floor and feeling a sense of serenity as his music floated around the room.

Just as the sun hid behind the mountains, the forest dimming from the loss of light, Edward's figure shimmered like diamonds.

"Edward!" I called, alarmed. I saw that he was starting to go back to being a statue. His legs were already brown and made of wood. I quickly sat up.

"It's all right, Bella. I felt that I would only be immobile for a few hours. I promise that I will come back," he managed to gasp.

"Do you?" I asked, getting teary-eyed. Why did he have to go back to being a statue when I already knew something about him? When I was starting to welcome the whole supernatural issue?

"Yes, I do." And all thoughts of doubt dissolved in my mind when I heard the honesty in his voice. "Good night, Bella." His figure hardened and became the statue I remembered carving.

"Good night, Edward," I whispered.

Everything was now black outside. I couldn't bring myself to close the curtains. I went back to my position on the floor and thought back to what transpired earlier. Was it all true–Edward being human, walking, talking, and moving, and the vision and the dream? They all seemed like a dream at this moment.

But when I touched my forehead and felt the bandage–a reminder of the accident and my own stupidity–I realized that everything really happened.

I wondered how all of this happened to me. Curiosity for what happened in the past burned inside me. I contemplated what occurred in 1918 that required defying the laws of science.

My gaze fell upon Edward, and I figured out that since Edward would be human again–my mind refused to believe that he might not come back; after all, he promised–then he would need basic human necessities.

.

.

.

I never thought this day would come. If Alice were here, I was sure she would scream that this was a miracle. Even I had to agree. _Never_ in my life have I gone to a mall on my own free will. Alice had to fight tooth and nail before she could make me enter the building.

But there I was, standing inside the department store. I had to convince myself a thousand times that I was doing this for Edward. I scanned the men's section for clothes. I was not an amateur; Alice had dragged me countless times to buy things for Jasper. I just had a hard time guessing what Edward's size was.

I avoided the curious stares I felt at my back. When a salesman approached me, he asked what he could do. I told him that I was shopping for my boyfriend. I was so shocked when that excuse flew out of my mouth. He informed me to do it quickly for the mall was about to close in an hour. I thanked him and went away, muttering about my first time voluntarily going to a mall and finding myself under time constraints.

Because of that, I had to buy the clothes that my eyes first saw. If I thought it was okay for Edward, then I bought it. I was already at the cashier when I bumped into someone I knew.

"Bella?" a man's voice asked.

"James?" Standing before me was none other than James Hades. James was Jacob's best friend. "What are you doing here?"

"I should ask you the same question." He smirked, glancing at the clothes I was about to buy. "Who are you buying those for?" I could see something in his eyes that I couldn't quite figure out what.

"Oh, they're for my second cousin. He visited me last night, and I want to give these to him the next time he comes," I lied, preferring to keep the secret between Edward and me.

"Oh, right," he said in an offhand tone. Since I was ahead of him, I was the first to go.

"Bye, James," I said, taking my bags.

"Bye, Bella," he replied. "See you around."

I didn't know if it was just me or what, but the way he said the last sentence sounded like a warning.

**A/N: Please review. Tell me what you think, other than liking or loving or hating it. :D Pray that I update soon...**

**P.S. Oh yeah, my goal before is to finish this story before my birthday. Sadly, that will not happen because of my schedule. *sigh* And follow me on Twitter. Link's on my profile. :D  
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	5. Painting Images

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight and its characters. They all belong to the outstanding Stephenie Meyer.**_

**A/N: I have so many things to apologize for, but I'd rather not mention them. Guys, I am so sorry for leaving you all here. I'd been caught up with real life, as usual, and had no time to write. Please trust my word about me finishing this story. I really have good plans for it that–I hope–won't disappoint. I've also joined a writing competition that is why it took me so long to update. Hehe, sorry. Thanks for still being there and to those people who reviewed, I love you, guys! :)**

**Okay, I'll stop this rant ... after I say thanks to my betas. :D Thanks to PurplePrincess77 and TDS88 from PTB for their speedy beta-ing (You owe them a lot! :D) and for helping me make this chapter presentable.**

**Oh, and the song below is _Please Don't Go _by Mike Posner. I think that song is cute and fits Bella's feelings at the moment. :)**

**Enjoy!**

Chapter 4: Painting Images

_Baby, please don't go_

_If I wake up tomorrow will you still be here?_

_I don't know if you feel the way I do_

_If you leave, I'm gonna find you_

_Baby, please don't go, go, go, go_

_Baby, please don't go, go, go, go_

_Baby, please don't go, go, go, go_

_Baby, please don't, baby, please don't …_

"Gah!" I exclaimed. I kicked my way out of the blanket, trying to get to the irritating phone. With a huff, I grabbed my phone and answered without looking at the caller ID.

"Hello?" I grumbled.

"Isabella Marie Swan, finally. I thought you'd never answer," the impatient voice complained. Darn. It was Rosalie.

"Rosalie, why do you have to call at,"–I looked at my clock– "seven in the morning?" I asked, incredulous. My voice climbed two octaves.

"Why? What's wrong?" she asked in surprise at my outburst. "I thought you said you're a morning person?"

"Yes, I know, but I did something last night. I slept two hours later than usual." I sighed. "Okay, nevermind about that. Why'd you call, Rose?" She didn't have to know the shopping I did last night. And to whom I planned to give all those clothes.

"Bella, I'm starting to suspect you've lost your memory or something. I called because I want updates on your artwork. You said two days ago that you are working on something already," she said, while my body froze as I remembered the artwork. Oh my God. I had totally forgotten about that ever since the Edward-statue-waking-up incident. "Well, what progress are you making?"

"Um, well, I am mostly done with it," I lied.

"Really?" she asked suspiciously. I gulped.

"Yeah. I can actually send it to you tomorrow." Great. If I could kill myself, then now would be the perfect time to do so.

"That's great, then," she said happily. "I'll expect that soon, all right? I have to go. Bye." She hung up again. It must be one of her favorites.

I placed the phone back to the table and slumped back on my bed. "What have I gotten myself into," I moaned against my pillow.

A clatter coming from the kitchen interrupted me. I sat up swiftly. _Who was that?_

I wrapped my body with my robe and went downstairs. When I was at the kitchen's doorway, a familiar, bronze-haired man sat on the vinyl tiles, picking up the broken remnants of chinaware.

I felt that weird, calm sensation again. "Edward! You came back." I smiled. "Oh, what happened?" I asked, suddenly concerned. I walked over to where he sat and helped him pick up the remains.

"It slipped from my hands," he said sheepishly. "I am so sorry for causing you trouble, Is–I mean, Bella," he quickly corrected himself.

"It's all right. Are you trying to cook? Let me help." I opened the refrigerator. There were only some leftovers and a carton of juice. I didn't realize before that I was lacking food supplies.

"Oh, dear." I sighed. "I guess we have to eat outside today. Is it fine with you, Edward?" Weird how I could treat him like we'd been together for a long time.

He nodded, a crooked smile brightening his face. I stared. "Oh, I almost forgot." I rushed upstairs and grabbed a bag from my shopping trip last night. I came back down in a rush. "Here. Change into these clothes. I bought them for you last night."

Edward gave me a smile and took the bag. "Thank you." Then, he went upstairs to change. I drank water from the sink and went up to change, too.

I donned a simple red blouse and jeans. I briefly wondered how I was going to make a painting or a statue. Well, I would think about that later. I grabbed my purse and the keys of my Ferrari – the car I bought on my first salary. I met Edward at the hallway.

"Should we go now?" I asked him. He nodded and followed me out. His face seemed as if it were considering something. I wondered what it was.

When we were seated inside the car, I voiced out my thoughts.

He was looking around the vehicle and settled his gazed on me. Finally, he said, "I was merely thinking about something."

"And what is this thing you are thinking exactly?"

He stared at me for a long time. "I'll tell you after you tell me where we're going. And also, what is this thing? We only had Rolls-Royce back in 1918." He ran one hand on the leather seat in amazement. I started the engine and drove off.

I smiled. "This is a Ferrari." I saw the fascination shining brightly in his eyes. "Do you like cars?"

"My father loves automobiles. He actually purchased one, and I got so captivated by it." I didn't fail to notice how his tone changed when he mentioned his father.

"If you like, I can tell you about different cars on our way," I offered with a smile.

"That would be fantastic," he replied, his eyes sparkling. "But, where are we going exactly?"

"Just to the town's sole bakery. I love breads and I assure you that the bakery is the best!"

"Of course," he murmured to himself. I was about to ask him what he meant by that, but he suddenly inquired, "What car is that?" He pointed to a green SUV.

And that was what we did: identifying cars. Edward seemed to get more excited with the newfound knowledge. I couldn't help but be happy by his emotions. When we were in town, I stopped when the light turned red. My eyes landed on a barbershop. It was simple and small. There was an inscription on the front door that said, _Felix's Barber Shop_.

The green light blared. With my eyes widening with an idea and a silly smile on my face, I stepped on the gas, my artwork already decided.

The bakery was located on a rather secluded part of own. As I turned along the corner, I saw the all-too-familiar old building. The exterior paint was starting to wear off, and the place looked like it could use some renovation. I parked in front of the bakery, the scent of cinnamon and wheat wafting in the air. Edward and I entered.

The bakery belonged to Old Eleazar. He was a widow with no children and had a passion for baking. That was why he understood my situation when Charlie died. He was there when I needed fatherly advice, and he even went so far as to teach me how to bake.

"Good morning, Eleazar," I greeted the old man standing with his back at us behind the counter.

"Isabella, is that you?" He preferred my whole name than the shortened handle. He turned around and squinted at Edward and me. He wasn't wearing his glasses.

I reached over the counter and handed his glasses to him. After putting it on, he exclaimed, "My goodness, dear child. It's been a while since your last visit. How are you?"

"I'm fine. Sorry for only visiting today. I was busy," I explained.

"Are you, really?" he asked doubtfully. "Or you might be a bit distracted perhaps?" He glimpsed at Edward.

"I was really busy," I responded quickly. "By the way, Eleazar, this is Edward." I looked at Edward. "This is Eleazar. He is like a father to me."

"Good morning, sir," Edward greeted politely.

"A pleasant morning to you, too, sonny," he replied merrily. "My, Isabella, I approve of this man!"

"Eleazar!" I cried. "He and I aren't like that."

Eleazar gazed at me with one of his eyebrows raised, then, he finally said, "All right. What do you want today?"

"The usual, please," I retorted. My gaze shifted to Edward. "How about you, Edward? Seen anything that you like?"

"No. I'd rather have what you're having," he answered.

"Okay," I said. "And two coffees, as well," I told Eleazar.

"Okie dokie, just wait for a while. I'll get them in a jiffy." He turned his back on us again.

I chose a table near the window. Edward seated himself in front of me. I propped my elbows on the table and entwined my fingers together. I placed my chin on top of my fingers and stared at the empty streets of Forks.

"Bella?" Edward asked uncertainly. I looked at him and saw him also staring outside. When he probably saw that I was looking at him, he shifted his gaze to me. "Um, what happened to your parents?"

"Oh," I muttered, looking down. "Um, Renée died after giving birth to me, so I don't really have a mother figure since Dad didn't remarry," I said with a rueful smile.

"Oh, I am sorry," he apologized. With a staggering breath, he asked, "And your father?"

I looked up and met his stare. "He died on a raid a few years ago. Luckily, he left a good sum of money and I was used to live by myself, so it wasn't that hard," I told him softly.

At that moment, Eleazar appeared.

"Here you go, Isabella and Edward," he said cheerfully.

"Thank you," I said with a grateful smile. Edward thanked him, as well. I started eating without another word, while Edward and Eleazar talked.

I took the time to think. After figuring out what I was supposed to do with my artwork, the challenge of uncovering the past slammed into my mind at once.

I'd watched enough movies to say that trying to recover from a memory loss was a big deal – it wasn't like I'd really lost my memory, but since the two occasions seemed alike with each other, then I could consider the amnesia thing. So, if I wanted to reveal all the mysteries in my mysterious situation, then I had to be patient and have faith that everything would happen because of a reason. Like what I said before, I would let fate take me and lead me where it wanted.

With that, I almost felt relaxed. There was no need to hurry things. Nothing was rushing me. I would be taking my time, and that I should be doing completely.

When I was mostly done, I asked Edward, "Since we have no plans, would you like to come with me somewhere tomorrow?"

Edward put down the cup from where he had been drinking. "It's not like I have a choice, Bella." He grinned. Then, as if remembering something that should be against on what he did, his grin faltered. "What I mean is, of course I'd go with you tomorrow."

"You don't have to be so formal around me, Edward," I informed him, finishing my coffee. When I stood up, Eleazar flitted to my side. It seemed like a few people had entered the bakery while we were eating and talking, and Eleazar was busy with them.

"Thank you for the good meal, Eleazar." I smiled brightly at him. After I paid for our breakfast, we left the bakery. When I was at the door, I sensed someone's gaze on me. But Edward was behind me, so I assumed it to be him.

We went back to the mansion. I fished some new paintbrushes and a few canvases from my storage room. Edward followed me around, seeming comfortable with doing that. He was curious, though.

"Are you planning to paint?"

"Mhm," I hummed, looking with wrinkled eyebrows at the thousand cans of paint. I was deciding which color was best for the painting. "My manager, Rosalie, wants me to produce one," I explained.

"Oh," he said in understanding.

After reaching the third floor, I immediately went to the other side of the room; my work area. Edward sensed that I wanted to make an artwork by myself and kept his distance, sitting himself in front of his precious piano.

I setup my art materials and started my work. It was easier when you were making something that you loved doing than being forced to do so. I almost failed to notice Edward's playing in maintaining my focus; I wanted the product to be wonderful.

Night already came when I finished my work. The setting was Forks, and the shops were lined up along the road, like how I'd always see them. But the shop that I highlighted with a few painting tricks was the barbershop. It was the one I saw earlier, the one owned by a man named Felix. Actually, I got a crazy, but somehow funny–for me, anyway–concept from it.

Instead of the _Felix's Barber Shop _at the front door, I put the signboard on top of the building, like a billboard, but smaller. I also changed the name, and added a picture of a cat holding a pair of scissors.

_Felix the Cut_.

Huh. Who would have known that I'd even think of something like that? I guessed I had a dry sense of humor. I was too intent on my sudden discovery to notice anything.

_Even Edward's transformation. _

With a loud, audible gasp, I turned to Edward's direction, only to find his statue form. I was mentally slapping myself. How could I be so dense?

_Wait, what was that thing on the piano?_

Placing my artwork on the side, I walked to his side. On the lid of the piano was a piece of paper and a pencil. Drawing or sketching was probably Edward's past time while I was preoccupied with my work. I looked over to the things he'd written.

_I am sorry, Isabella Marie Swan._

The sentence was repeated all over the paper until there were no gaps left. What did the apology mean? But I was more shocked when I flipped the paper and saw a sketch of me, painting. The exact pose I'd done earlier. But the room wasn't at all familiar; it seemed like I was in the middle of the forest.

What did this image mean?

**A/N: Ahem, a little review can make miracles ... like an immediate update ... ;)**


	6. Blondes, Children and Memories

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight and its characters. They all belong to the magnificent Stephenie Meyer. Brought to Life By Love plot is mine, though.**_

**A/N: Please forgive me.**

**Big thanks to Darcysmom and PurplePrincess77 – the betas from PTB for lending me a hand. Continue embarrassing me with my silliness. *shakes head miserably* **

**Hope you all like the chapter. :) Enjoy!**

Chapter 5: Blondes, Children and Memories

My ever-present wristwatch told me that it was a little after nine. My hands gripped the steering wheel firmly, and my eyes were glued on the road – a habit enforced by my police officer father; I had to be responsible.

Everything seemed perfectly fine and normal. My house was clean as always, the evergreen trees and moss, the overcast heavens that weren't a surprise in this small town. I grabbed a cup of my favorite coffee from the sole coffee shop in Forks and a bag of pastries. This was my normal routine whenever I sent a piece of my art.

Except now, I had company, and he was sitting on the passenger seat of my Ferrari.

"So, Edward," I started again, retaining the light tone of voice I'd used when we began this conversation, "are you still adamant on keeping that reason from me?" He chuckled but kept his mouth shut. I sighed, feeling a little cranky now.

I had been trying to find out about the sentences of regret he'd written on a piece of paper last night. I'd left the paper at the place where I'd seen it, and when I tried to show it as evidence to him earlier, the paper was gone. I knew he had something to do with it, and if I wanted to be clear about every supernatural thing that happened to me, then I couldn't let the matter rest.

I changed tactics. Instead of forcing the answer out of him, I pressed my lips in a thin line after heaving a sigh and waited for him to give in. I had a gut feeling this would work.

Five cars had passed before he took noticed of my behavior. By that time, my eyes had an almost bored look as I focused on the road, and my back was hunched a bit toward the wheel.

"Keep pouting, Bella, because I am really determined not to let that one go," he told me, shifting his gaze to the window on his right. I didn't even realize I was pouting. I felt ashamed at how pathetic I must have looked.

I exhaled sharply, putting more pressure on the accelerator with my foot. It wasn't until the third stop light that I realized I'd gone the wrong way.

"Crap!" I exclaimed, trying to find a spot where I could make a u-turn without disobeying the laws.

"Why? What's wrong?" Edward asked in alarm. He unconsciously clutched my right arm just as I made a turn into an alley.

"Calm down," I muttered. "I just missed a corner here." Then, when I was finally feeling the heat coming off his skin, he released my arm.

He was mumbling something under his breath, but I couldn't concentrate on that. The tall, glass building, our destination, was just a few meters away. I couldn't believe my ears when Rosalie first told me where I should send my completed work. I was aware that Rosalie was well-off, but I was surprised she was wealthy enough to co-own the most majestic building in Port Angeles.

After parking my car, Edward was out of the car and had the door opened before I had taken my seat belt off. I thanked him and took my painting from the backseat, struggling slightly. His face was deep in thought.

"Is this the place you are supposed to take me? It's a bit dark in here ..." he trailed off uncertainly.

"No, Edward. This is not the place, and yes, it's dark because we are in a parking lot. Come on." Luckily, the elevator on the far eastern side was unoccupied. Edward took pity on me and hauled the painting from my arms. I gave a grateful smile in his direction, but I was not sure if he saw it.

As we ascended to the fifteenth floor, there was only the bright white light and the soft music in the background to entertain us. The quiet didn't seem to bother Edward, and I was not much of a conversationalist either. I wondered why our earlier conversation ended the way it had. I realized with a pang that something extremely terrible must have happened in the past.

Something associated with me. That was the only explanation for Edward's reluctance. I was suddenly horrified at the thousands of possible scenarios bursting in my mind.

My heart started beating faster than normal, and it drowned the faint music. Slowly, black spots filled my eyes. I gasped in reaction to my racing heart and ragged breathing.

"Bella?" Edward's hand touched my shoulder and turned me to him. "Bella!" I had stumbled, and his arms caught me just in time, winding around my waist. I tried breathing through my nose, and when it wasn't enough, I used my mouth. I was being dramatic, I knew it, but in my condition, knowing that someone possibly got hurt again because of me brought forth the trauma and panic.

"S-sorry," I gasped. Edward clutched me tightly to him, his mouth set in a frown. Worry shone brightly in his eyes. Before he had the chance to interrogate me, the elevator doors opened, signaling that we'd reached our floor.

I pulled away from him, regained some of my strength when he'd helped me. I made a motion of lifting my painting, but his hands beat me to it.

"You must know better," he said disapprovingly. "I'd never let you lift this after what happened." I just gave him another thankful but weak smile.

We stepped out, and Edward followed me as I searched for the person I needed.

"Miss Bella?" a feminine voice asked. It was Angela Weber, a secretary for the company. She walked toward me, a friendly smile on her face. "Congrats! Another work of art from you, and I must say–are you all right?" she asked worriedly when she noticed how I placed my fingers over the side of my temple and my paler than usual skin.

"Hmm?" I hummed. "Yeah, I'm good. Just a headache." I leaned against a counter for support. "Have you seen Tanya?"

Before any of us could say anything, the strawberry blond woman appeared from a cube, a sneer on her lovely face. _Oh, great. She hates me but I still compliment her._ I reigned in any anger I felt toward her.

"Well, well, well," she droned in her sultry voice. "If it isn't the talented _Isabella Swan_." She spat my name with distaste. I flinched slightly.

I didn't know what I had done to her, but whatever peacekeeping act I attempted, she would just sneer or snort at me. Angela had told me that some boys she liked were practically head over heels for me when I first walked into the office. Of course, I had a hard time believing that. Then, I found out that she was a painter ignored by the company. So she was probably mad at me because I was given a breakthrough while she was not.

"Tanya," I said as gently as I could. _No more reason to add fuel to the fire_, I thought, trying to be nice. "I came here to turn in my latest painting. Could you please take care of everything?" Tanya was the person assigned to complete the transactions involving me and my work. I expected her to treat me with respect as a client even though we would never be friends.

There was never an instance where she'd taken revenge on me by destroying my paintings – she knew that would ruin her in the eyes of the bosses. But I was sure if there was any other way, she would grab it.

She glared at me for a few seconds before walking over to her table. I sighed, thinking the inevitable had passed. Edward was right behind me, and I motioned for him to place my painting in a corner of Tanya's cube.

I was standing right in front of Tanya, so I could see how her eyes landed on Edward and a flirtatious grin appeared on her face. Soon, she was checking him out.

At the sight of that, I regretted any friendly intentions I had toward her. I knew Edward and I were not in a relationship–I still had no idea what we really were, actually–but the anger I felt bubbling in me was so strong. It was like I could hurt somebody, which totally surprised me because I wasn't the violent type.

When Edward stood up, she finally glanced my way, a devilish smile replacing the former one on her face. In a flash faster than lightning, I pieced everything together and came into a realization that she wanted to use Edward for her revenge. No way in hell would I tolerate her attitude any longer. I'd had enough.

Without actually thinking, I rushed to Edward's side and slipped my hand into one of his. He looked stunned since we hadn't really had much physical contact. He stared at our hands before smiling crookedly at me. My heart stopped, and I almost lost myself in the moment, but someone cleared her throat.

I turned slowly to face Tanya, making sure my face was serious. "Sorry, Tanya. You may have anybody in this building – hell, you can even have anybody in this whole world. But not _him_!" I stared hard at her unsmiling face for a minute, before stalking out of her cube with Edward hot on my heels.

"Bye, Miss Bella," Angela said when I walked past her. But in my anger and haste, I wasn't able to respond.

When we were in the elevator, I let out an uncharacteristic screech. I paced inside the small square room, hoping my annoyance over a certain strawberry blonde would vanish. This was an out-of-character thing for me. In all my previous dealings with Tanya, I had never been so furious with her.

"Don't be infuriated," Edward insisted, standing near the door and looking at me worriedly. "She is just testing your patience; calm down." He stopped me by the hand and placed one tenderly on my cheek. "I would like to think you remember everything now, judging by what you did a while ago, but I know that's not the case," he murmured forlornly. His apple green eyes were swimming with dejection and pain.

Changing course, my mind shifted to our out-of-the-norm situation. I sighed and guilt crept into my gut. I shouldn't have said that. It only hurt Edward, which was the last thing I wished to do.

"I'm sorry again. It was like I used you, too, back there," I mumbled remorsefully. "But I want to be honest with you now, Edward. I want to let you know that you're different from all of them in many ways. Ever since I first dreamed of you, there was something about our meeting. You struck me in a good way, but I never knew why. It was like there was a barrier that I couldn't break through to get the answers to my questions. I-I'm attracted to you," I told him feebly, my cheeks reddening at my admission. "I'm all new to this so I don't know how to act around you now. Sometimes I feel like I have a multiple personality disorder." He laughed lightly at that, while I blushed even more. I swallowed. "So I'm extremely sorry for hurting your feelings."

He shook his head gently, a small, adoring smile playing on his lips. The atmosphere had turned peaceful, what with the calm music coming from the speakers. Forgetting we were in an elevator, we jumped when the door dinged and opened.

We were both silent in the car, a complete contrast to the ride we'd had in the morning. Glancing at my watch, I was surprised at the time. I headed over to a restaurant that I'd seen earlier, planning to have lunch. Edward looked so patient and content, that I'd guessed he probably wouldn't bother telling me even if he was hungry or exhausted. What a sacrifice it was to him. Maybe it wasn't just his feelings that I had offended. I might have deprived him of other things these past few days.

When I parked in front of the building, I was quick to stop him before he went out. "Edward," I started, "If you are in need of something, please do not hesitate to inform me. There's no need to be shy."

He smiled. "I know, but I didn't want to do anything that might disturb or trouble you."

"Seriously, let's drop the tension because I'm starting to suffocate from it," I suggested nervously.

"There was no tension, Bella. There was only uncertainty at those times." He paused for a moment. "And I promise to tell you, only if we consider what we have as friendship."

"Friendship?" I asked with a smile. It wasn't exactly the term for what we had, but I felt relieved to actually define my relationship with him. God only knew how uncomfortable I had been, not knowing _anything_.

"Yes." He glanced down at his hands. "It would be a nice start and also a way to get rid of the confusion you are feeling. I don't want you to be confused." Good thing he was staring down because my face held shock that he seemed to know what I'd felt.

"Okay," I said after a few seconds.

He gave me one of his infamous crooked smiles. "Okay."

And after that small conversation, everything became easier. So much easier.

Staring outside the glass of the moving vehicle, Edward let out a sudden "_hmm_."

"Edward?"

My questioning glance was enough. "It's just like I remember seeing the sun in this area before..." he trailed off, lost in his own memories, I supposed.

"Oh," I mumbled pathetically, because, really, nothing helpful came into my mind.

Our next and final destination was within the boundaries of Forks, Washington. I chose to drive over Port Angeles first so that when the sun started to set, I could make it easily to our home.

I backpedalled. _Our_ home? But then, that didn't bother me in the slightest. I decided not to think much of such insignificant things. Otherwise, I might end up with a straitjacket due to over-thinking.

It was located at South Forks Avenue, turning left to Fern Hill Road. There, before the road ended, rested a place where I could turn back time and be a young girl once more. Although, my childhood wasn't that pleasant–yes, I'd had Charlie, but it was difficult growing up without a mother–that place could make me think I had a best one. Being around the children simply made me contented.

A small smile was on my lips as I parked the car. Edward opened my door for me again, surprising me. His eyes scanned the three-story house. It was white and well-proportioned. It gave its viewers a feeling of entering somewhere important, and the chipping paint indicated how old this structure was. Above the porch was a wooden board with the words "_Children's Shelter_" in bold, black letters.

"An orphanage?" Edward whispered the question. There was an emotion in his voice that I couldn't put my finger on. Before any of us could say or do anything, the front door opened, revealing two children.

"Bella!" Jane, the little girl, said. Her twin brother, Alec, ran back inside, probably informing the social workers of my impromptu visit.

My grin broadened. "Hello, Janie." She sprinted toward me, and I took her in my arms, laughing. "I've missed you, sweetie." I spun her around in my arms once, earning a giggle from her.

When I looked at Edward, his eyes were glistening. Jane squirmed in my arms, running back to the house. I stared at him curiously, then.

"What? I know. That doesn't seem like me. But with these kids, I don't know; I feel at... _peace_." Then, I pointed my chest. "Multiple personality disorder. Yeah, I know."

He laughed out loud. Following me to the door, Edward said something that both delighted and thrilled me. "Children. You really love them. _Then _and now."

I halted in my tracks. My face was probably shining with the first information I'd gotten. So that explained the feeling...

"Isabella!" a voice called from the doorway.

I composed myself and gave her a smile. "Mrs. Biers," I called back. Victoria Biers was a forty-something widow with no children of her own, who devoted her time serving in social programs. She'd started here at Forks a few years back, and I'd known her ever since.

"I told you to call me Victoria, right? Well, come in, come in," she urged, all the while comforting the wailing one-year-old baby she held in her arms. I rushed in to help her, curious about the newcomer.

"Where did the baby come from?" I asked, letting Edward inside before I closed the door myself. Victoria handed me the child, and I uncomfortably shifted it in my arms, having no experience.

"Olympia," she said grimly. "I have no idea why they sent it here. Honestly, why are parents so irresponsible these days?" She muttered something else under her breath. Victoria could get a bit cranky around the children, especially if she worked alone. But I knew she wouldn't do any harm to any of them.

"Where's Jessica, by the way?"

She actually looked disgusted hearing her colleague's name, her red hair seeming to flare like the raging fire. "The hell with her!" she snarled. "Look at this place. I was tending to the younger ones the other day, and she hadn't cleaned the home at all! Such a lazy cow! So I sent her out of my freaking sight and told her never to come again."

I fought to hide my smile. I also knew the girl won't last; the obvious reason was that she didn't like children. "Don't worry, Victoria. I'll find a replacement soon."

"You do that, darling. Now, I–" What she was saying was cut off when another memory, like a vision, flashed before my eyes. I was just walking along the foyer, when my vision darkened, and the baby in my arms was almost forgotten, though I kept a firm grip to keep her from falling.

_It was raining heavily. The sun had long since concealed itself behind the towering, dark clouds. Every person in town sought refuge in their homes or other structures, seeking relief from the cold water. Each drop felt like a stab of a needle, piercing through my skin painfully. I hung my head, not in shame but in despair. _

_The perplexed stares that were directed at me and the ache from the rain drops were mostly ignored by my numb body._

_I trudged along the rain-soaked street, my drenched bag slung over my left shoulder. I walked aimlessly, not caring in the slightest where I had to go._

_Not that I had any._

"_Miss!" I heard a horrified call, but it was muffled by the great downpour and also because I was trying to block everything outside my mind._

_I felt a hand weave through mine, and a deep urge to jerk away was strong, if only I wasn't as weak as a matchstick. The hand pulled me somewhere, but I didn't care where. I was done caring._

_The rain was gone, and I was aware of the warm blankets wrapped around me. I wanted to shrug away from it. I wanted to be left alone on the streets._

"_There, there," a motherly voice said. "Everything's all right," she reassured me. I really wanted to cry when she said that. She didn't know that everything was _not_ all right. "You're in an orphanage, miss. You can stay here as long as you like." No, I don't want to be in here._

_Despite the sorrow, I felt relaxed when a little boy waddled to me, reaching for the golden locket I had never taken off from the moment it was placed around my neck._

"_Vewy pwetty, miss," he stuttered. His eyes were a striking green color, which made my heart throb agonizingly. I smiled a little, the smile not quite reaching my eyes. But I was relieved in a way. Despite myself, I smiled back at the boy and decided to stay._

The baby was out of my arms before the vision faded. I blinked a few times, trying to recover from the vision. But I found it hard to recover emotionally. The sadness, the grief that vision had brought was not easy to forget. It seemed real to me. I could feel everything from head to toe.

I turned to see Edward holding the baby. He gave me a worried look before asking, "Another vision?" I merely nodded.

"Isabella, did you hear what I said?" Victoria demanded. I slowly stared at her impatient but glowing face.

"Sorry. What?"

She rolled her hazel eyes. "I said, it's the first time you brought someone here with you. Is he..." she trailed off suggestively.

"A friend," Edward finished, though I wasn't quite satisfied with it. Which was weird because we'd agreed a few hours ago on the status of our relationship. I shrugged the feeling off.

"Oh..." Her tone said she didn't believe. "Well, in that case, I hope you two won't mind helping me around a bit."

"Not at all, Victoria," I managed to say. "By the way–oh, how rude of me–this is Edward. Edward, this is Victoria Biers. She takes care of the children here. Usually with a partner, but unfortunately" – I snorted softly – "that's not the case today." I was thinking how Jessica could be cruel sometimes.

After they shook hands, Victoria led us through the dining room where all the kids were eating. When Edward passed the baby to her, I noticed how adorable he looked with a child in his arms.

He caught me staring and smiling fondly. "What?" he murmured, eyes sparkling.

I was dazed for a moment. "N-nothing."

Victoria called for attention, then. "Children, greet Isabella and her _friend_ Edward. Come on now." She actually emphasized the word friend. I refrained from rolling my eyes.

All one dozen children welcomed us happily. Jane gave me her widest smile and patted the seat next to her. I complied with her wishes, unable to say no this one. On my way there, a few kids held my hand, glad to have their "older sister" back. Luckily, the seat next to mine was vacant, and Edward took it without another word, just contented by my side. I made a note to myself that I would have to break a few more things between us.

After excusing ourselves from eating, Edward and I started talking to the children. Victoria took care of the baby up in the nursery. The oldest child staying here was twelve, I think. These boys and girls weren't just abandoned in the streets by their parents. Some of them were sexually abused, and I really felt pity and anger at their condition.

I realized Edward didn't know that I founded the place and sponsored it. Maybe if the subject came up, I could explain it to him. But before that happened, another–rather awkward–subject popped up.

"So, Bella," Peter, an eleven-year-old orphan, started teasingly, "I didn't know I have some competition." He grinned boyishly and innocently as he stared at the person beside me. My cheeks turned red. Surely the boy was joking.

"Yeah, Bella," Mike, another ten-year old and also an orphan, piped up, a bit seriously, though. "I thought you loved ... us."

"Who would read stories to us?" Mary asked, horrified at the thought. The younger ones mumbled in worry at that.

I laughed a little nervously at their antics. These children could look so normal. It was like they had forgotten where they were, and considered each other brothers and sisters. Their innocence touched me, and I vowed to help them as best as I could.

"No, I wouldn't do that to all of you," I said softly. I placed a hand on Edward's shoulder. "He's a good friend." But, who knows, that could change. "And he's here to help your older sis, okay?" I smiled brightly at them.

They cheered, and I stole a glance at Edward's direction. He was grinning, too, a slightly troubled look on his eyes.

Jane suggested we head over to the play room where all of their toys resided. I stayed back to do the dishes, and Edward had no chance of escape like me. He seemed enthusiastic, though, as they all left the room.

After placing the last piece of silverware in its respective case, I followed the sound of laughter and screaming coming from the other room. An involuntary smile lit my face. It was a relief to know that the children liked Edward.

I placed my hands on my hips after I opened the door. "Well, what do we have here?" Toys were all over the place. The black carpet with Mickey Mouse's face was once lying peacefully on the floor, but was now pushed to the wall in large messy folds. My question got their attention, but the noise still lingered.

"Bella!" I turned and was suddenly amused to see Edward with tiny Maggie sitting on his shoulders. His face was embarrassed. "I tried to stop them, but ..."

"But, of course, you can't," I finished for him with a broad smile. He replied with a timid smile.

"Edward, Edward!" Jane called, appearing at his side. "My turn," she prompted, her voice energetic. Edward made a move of removing Maggie from his shoulders. Maggie complained, and she and Jane argued about unfairness. Soon, it turned into a fight.

"Girls, let's not fight, okay?" I attempted, feeling slightly amused. Who knew two young girls would be fighting over Edward? But my command was ignored.

Edward kneeled in front of the girls, his tone gentle as he said, "How about I lift Maggie again for five minutes, and then, Jane can have ten."

Jane actually put a finger to her lip. "Hmm. Deal." Maggie nodded in agreement.

I was still amused by the time Maggie squealed when Edward hauled her up. I shook my head a little, thinking how my simple intention of bringing Edward here turned out so much better – better than I ever expected. I delightedly watched him interact with the little ones.

Maybe I was so caught up watching Edward that I didn't hear Benjamin and Mike's invitation.

For the second time today, someone shouted my name. "Bella!"

"What?" I said distractedly, my eyes still trained on their laughing faces. A rectangular box was shoved down my face. Focusing, I noticed the colored and printed figures of squares, ladders and snakes. Right. Board game.

"Again?" I asked the two boys on my side. This must be their favorite.

They nodded quickly. "Besides, you look so funny whenever you lose." Benjamin and Mike snickered. I glared, though it was nothing serious.

"All right. Let's see who's laughing after this." I grabbed the box from their hands and opened it." Mike started sitting on the floor while Benjamin hooted. I sat on the floor, still facing Edward's direction.

Mike muttered, "Can't get him out of her sight." I smirked at him and playfully poked his shoulder. I included Benjamin, just to irritate him. We ended up poking each other.

"Okay," I said a little breathlessly after laughing so much. "Let's get a move on." Just as I finished my sentence, Edward showed up, looking tired but still handsome. He plopped beside me.

"What are you doing?" he inquired, and when I looked at him, I witnessed a drop of perspiration trickling from his forehead to his chin.

"Um." My eyes lifted to meet his glimmering jade eyes. I gulped. "Playing snakes and ladders?" Goodness, what was this I was feeling?

"Can I play?" His eyes ran over the board, as if seeing it for the first time.

"Sure." After briefly explaining to him quietly the mechanics, we started. The two boys didn't seem to mind Edward now, which meant that they were clearly making fun of me earlier. Now I was more than determined to win.

When it was my turn to roll the dice, something unexpected happened. After releasing the dice and waiting for the result, the scene changed. Another vision. I stiffened as I waited for the images and the secrets to be revealed.

_They were all so frustrating!_

_I grumbled as I traipsed around the vegetation that seemed to fill the whole city. I'd had the faintest idea of what they would say. Maybe a few words of disapproval, but I did not foresee any acts of fury._

_When I'd admitted my desire to teach unfortunate children, well, it had been the worst move I'd made in my whole life. I knew no one had accomplished it, but still._

_I clutched my stinging and bleeding cheek in one hand. I was so shocked, so upset, at what my father had done to me. A slap meant great disappointment. That was what my mother had said, and I should be ashamed and apologetic._

_But, no, I'd stood up from my slumped position on the ground and stalked out of the room, tears threatening to spill over the rims of my chocolate brown eyes._

_Sighing for the hundredth time, I meandered to the inviting left trail. I hoped it could lead me out of this green maze. _

_My heart felt as heavy as lead, and it was not hard to say that I was sad and discouraged. When I thought how I would never find a way to make my heart work again, something slithered on the ground, causing my heart to jolt in fear._

_A scream came out of my mouth, as I looked down at my feet and saw a colossal and intimidating serpent._

_Completely terrified, I could not for the life of me move my feet backwards. The creature was less than a foot from me, and I did not need a specialist to say that it was not a good sign._

_I whimpered as it got closer. Was this the end, then? Should I die having on poor terms with my parents? A sharp prick of pain brought me back to reality. _

"_Oh," I said in horror as the serpent sunk its teeth into my sandals, and up my foot. I fell back on the damp ground in agony._

_There was rustling, and the creature and the pain were gone. Slowly, I opened my eyes and looked up into the verdant gaze of my savior._

I blinked, and the vision was gone. Instead of seeing the dice, the eyes that looked exactly the same as the one I'd last glimpsed of was what I saw. They swam with anxiety.

"Oh!" I exclaimed again. I thought a snake had really bitten me, but the pain I'd felt now was just cramps. Edward's anxious eyes became alarmed.

I also realized that I was lying down on the cold, tile floor. Edward helped me up, knowing that he was my savior in that vision. I tried to tell him that nothing serious happened.

Or so I thought.

The children had assembled around me with confusion etched on their faces. Apparently, my great fall must have happened to me in reality, though I couldn't imagine how that occurred, remembering my sitting position during the game.

"Here, Isabella." Victoria entered the room and handed me a glass of water. I took it gratefully, saying thanks and telling them not to worry.

When they had dispersed, Edward murmured to me, "That's two now." His eyebrows scrunched up in apprehension, and his arm that remained draped around my waist tightened.

"I know. I can't help it," I explained. My eyes drifted to the window at the far west wall. "Oh, crap! Sunset." It was enough of an explanation for us to get away soon.

We said our goodbyes and promised to come back soon. Edward helped me to my door, and after getting in, I started the drive back home. The sun was starting to hide behind the mountains. I hit the accelerator.

"It's been an interesting day, hasn't it?" he asked cheerfully. I glanced at his smiling face.

I beamed, as I listed the things in my mind that transpired today, and how it really was considered interesting. "Yeah, it has."

**A/N: Sorry for pulling another one here. Please review and if you really love the story, do endorse it. I would _really_ love it! Thanks! :)**


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